| Strokes are a type of debilitating brain injury | | | | or stopping any hemorrhaging. |
| caused by either an interruption of the blood | | | | The second stage is therapy immediately after |
| supply to part of the brain or the rupturing of a | | | | the stroke. This portion of treatment generally |
| blood vessel spilling blood into the surrounding brain | | | | tries to help an individual get as close to normal as |
| cells. Brain cells are extremely sensitive and can | | | | possible as quickly as possible. If surgery to repair |
| die when they no longer receive oxygen and | | | | a burst blood vessel is needed, it is done here. |
| nutrients from the blood. They can also die when | | | | The last stage is post-stroke rehabilitation. |
| there is sudden bleeding into or around the brain. | | | | Because of a stroke's potentially debilitating |
| The symptoms of strokes are varied but | | | | effects, this is frequently the most difficult stage. |
| generally easy to spot. They include a sudden | | | | This part helps people overcome disabilities that |
| numbness or weakness, particularly effecting one | | | | are the result of any stroke damage. One |
| side of the body; confusion; trouble speaking or | | | | common disability that post-stroke rehabilitation |
| understanding speech; trouble seeing in one or | | | | helps individuals overcome is hemiplegia. |
| both eyes; trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of | | | | Hemiplegia is the paralysis of one side of the |
| balance or coordination; and severe headaches | | | | body. It generally affects the side of the body |
| with no known cause. | | | | opposite to the side of the brain where the |
| There are two general types of strokes. They | | | | stroke occurred. This means that if the stroke |
| are named by their cause. There are ischemic | | | | occurs on the right side of the brain, the left side |
| strokes, which are caused by a blockage of a | | | | of the body is more likely to be affected. |
| blood vessel supplying the brain, and hemorrhagic | | | | Hemiparesis, or one-sided weakness, is another |
| strokes, which are consist of bleeding into or | | | | common disability. |
| around the brain. | | | | Whenever an individual experiences one stroke, |
| When a stroke occurs, treatment is divided into | | | | there is a 25% likeliness that he or she will |
| three stages. The first stage is prevention. | | | | experience another stroke in the future. |
| Prevention focuses on treating an individual's | | | | Medication or drug therapy is the most common |
| underlying risk factors. Risk factors include | | | | approach to preventing a second stroke. These |
| hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and diabetes. Acute | | | | drugs are generally anthrombiotics, such as |
| therapy attempts to stop a stroke while it is | | | | anti-platelet agents or anticoagulants, or |
| happening. It does this by dissolving the blood clot | | | | thrombolytics. |